The Last Dragon Chronicles: The Fire Ascending (14 page)

I shook my head, which was honest

enough. I remembered what I’d heard when the writing dragon had drawn the symbol –
 
sometimes
 
– but it made little sense to me still.

“Then I will tell you,” Gwilanna said, in a voice that seemed oddly detached from her own. “You may hear other, more fanciful explanations, but they will only be variations on this.” She rolled the tornaq between her palms. “The three lines are the three dimensions of this world, held in place by the same forces that allow us to imagineer   constructs.   The   spaces represent the flow of time, both forward and back, spiralling infinitely around one another, twining into the eternal now. But if the lines are moved, even by the smallest amounts, the dimensions of the

universe flicker and change. The results,

as   you   have   found,   are   quite… spectacular.”

Sometimes I will be at Kasgerden; sometimes I will be at Iunavik. One blink

within the eternal ‘now’. I looked up and said, “How do you know what you know?”

She is drawing upon the unicorn’s

auma,
 
said the Fain.
 
This knowledge has

always been with her.

The horn. Of course. The three-lined

pattern. So strange to think that this woman, by virtue of her sinister birth, possessed the ancient knowledge of unicorns. And it was frightening to know that the shadow of the Ix must be in there

somewhere, all mixed up with Hilde’s

magicks. But which of those influences drove her the strongest? And which was leading her now?

She ignored my question and asked one of me. “Were you holding the charm when you fell?”

I shifted on my rock. “Yes. But why should it deliver me here, to a place I never even knew existed?”

“That is a very good question,” she muttered. She brought the tornaq close to her face, turning it in front of her searching eyes. “I have heard it said that if you cut a dragon open you would find this symbol etched on its heart.” I cast my eyes warily towards Gawain, but she did not appear to intend him harm. “All I can tell you is this: it was not a piece of bone that brought you

to Iunavik, but what that piece of bone is hiding.” And then she did something quite unexpected. She hurled the tornaq at the wall above the skull.

“No!” I cried and was about to jump up when  I   witnessed   an  extraordinary transformation. The bone dissolved before

it struck the wall and a small, bird-like

creature fluttered free.

Grrraaakkk!
 
went Gawain, raising his

head.

“There,” crowed the sibyl, pleased with herself. “There is the agent of your destiny, Agawin. You are looking at a being that can change its shape and carry you across time, maybe even worlds.”

“How,  though?  How   does  this…

creature… change time?”

“Dragons are masters of the energy field. What we do when we imagineer is a jot compared to the power they command – even one as small as this.”

The creature fluttered down to my hand. It did not look entirely like a bird, but itwasn’t quite a dragon either. It was whitewith a sheen like frosted snow. I could see

the flames of the cave fire through it and its weight upon my hand was no more than a breath. It observed me with a keen, well-focused eye, as if it saw in that glance not a boy sitting on a rock in a cave, but everything that boy had been and would become. It peered at Gwilanna and its bright gaze narrowed. She drew back, adding more wrinkles to her face. The creature tilted its head and purred in warm

admiration at Gawain. Then it turned into

bone again, melting from one shape to the other as if it was nothing more than smoke.

“A lucky find,” said the sibyl. “It seems quite attached to you.”

And I didn’t need dragons or Fain within me to know how much she desired

to have it.

At that point Guinevere rushed back in,her airwave bending the flames again. Gawain sat up and made a fresh
graaarrkk
.

I put the tornaq in my robe and stood upto greet her. “What’s the matter? You lookworried.”

“The eagle,” she panted.

“What about him?”

“Burned.”

“Burned? How?”

Gwilanna turned her head. “Speakplainly, girl. I do not like riddles.”

Guinevere dropped to her knees. Herhands gripped her thighs to stop themquivering. “I took him to the spring water,as you said. All the way I could feel agreat auma wave from him. Whatever heabsorbed from Gawain was very strong.”

Gwilanna squinted at the dragon butsaid nothing.

“Soft-coloured  lights  kept  forminground his body. Yet there was no flickerof life from his eye. I set him down andopened his beak, so I might drop somewater on his tongue. I cupped a hand underthe spring. The water was cold and Iprayed to Gaia that the shock of it would

cause no harm to the bird. And I don’t

know how it happened, my knee must have slipped against the muddy earth, but the next thing I knew I had spilled the water all over his feathers. His wings. His head. His tail.”

“Yes, yes,” said Gwilanna, squirming with impatience. “We know where a bird has feathers. What
 
happened
?”

“A blaze,” said Guinevere, looking at me. “A fire ignited and he burned like nothing I have ever seen before. A white fire took him and turned him to ash.”

“White fire?” I muttered.

“I saw his body through it – but that’s not all.” She looked at the ground, her face lost behind a fall of red hair. “A new bird

rose from the ashes.”

“What?” said Gwilanna, grinding her teeth. The noise could be heard quite clearly round the cave.

“A spirit bird. But not an eagle. It was changed.”

“A dragon?” I asked.

“No.” Her eyes widened. “Something in-between. It had a longer beak. A softer eye. Pretty little tufts on the top of its head. Colours more beautiful than any sunset – like his golden-brown feathers but speckled with orange and yellow and green. As he rose, he opened his throat and breathed the same white fire that had

taken him to ash.”

He died and lived again
, the Fain saidexcitedly.
 
He has commingled with thedragon and made a new form. A bird of

fire. A firebird. We must find it. We must learn from this, Agawin.

But the Fain were not the only ones intent on that. “Where is this creature?”

Gwilanna said coldly.

Guinevere shook her head. “I don’t

know.”

I crouched beside her. “Which way didit fly?”

“It   didn’t,”   she   said.   “It  just…disappeared. It tipped its head down andfolded away. It made the air ripple. Iwaited and watched but it didn’t come

back. Then I ran here, to the cave, to tell you.”

It has moved through time, as you did
, said the Fain.

Where would it go to?

We could not say.

I made a swift decision and said to

Guinevere, “Will you take me to thespring?”

“I would…but it might be wiser to stay

in the cave.”

“Why?”   said   Gwilanna.   “What’s

happening outside?”

I didn’t wait for Guinevere’s answer. I

ran to the cave mouth and poked my head out. To my surprise there were animals all over the hill. Goats, rabbits, squirrels, birds, water fowl, foxes. All sitting there, calm and untroubled. The bear I had

stopped with my imagineered bush was mooching about, berry stains marking the fur around his mouth.

This is a vigil
, the Fain said quietly.

They have felt Gawain’s auma. They arehere for the dragon.

“Is this usual,” I whispered, “when awearling is born?”

No. But he is more special than most. Our analysis suggests he is the lastknown dragon in this world
.

And there and then my destiny was set. Idid not need the spirit of Galen to tell methat it would fall to me, a seer’sapprentice, to stay close to Gawain andprotect him from harm.

But there was still one thing I did notunderstand. According to Gideon, thequeen dragon, Gawaine, had passed herfire tear on to her son. He had inherited

most of her auma. Gideon, in turn, had absorbed some of that. But in the many

legends Yolen had taught me, not one of them spoke about a dragon with the power to create a new form from the ashes of

another. How could Gawain – or his

mother – possess the ability to resurrect an eagle?

I sensed that Galen had an explanation, but Guinevere came alongside me at that moment and her presence distracted me from hearing it.

“See what I mean?” She nodded at the

animals.

It was remarkable to see them settled

together, with no threat from any one

species to another.

“Will the bear be a problem?”

“Not now he’s fed. Come inside.

Gwilanna wants to speak to you.” She

tugged my sleeve and we returned to the

fireside.

Gawain was still in the cooking vessel,but the sibyl was on her feet by now,gathering seeds from her collection ofpots. She put a handful into a smaller dishand started grinding them with a blunt-ended stone. “Guinevere has told me what

is happening outside. You must leave here and take the wearling with you. The presence of so many animals on the hill will not go unnoticed by the tribe that inhabit the far end of the valley. If men come, they will seize the creature.” She twisted her stone, pushing and crushing the husks till they ended their resistance with a deathly crack. I half-fancied she wished it was the bones of my neck turning to

powder in the base of her dish.

“Where will we go to?” Guinevere

asked.

“We?” the sibyl said brusquely.

“I wish to travel with Agawin.”

I held my breath for the sibyl’s

response.   Although  I  had  been  in Guinevere’s company for barely one tick of the afternoon sun, the thought that she might be allowed to join me unexpectedly filled my heart with joy.

“No,” said the sibyl.

My heart sank.

But Guinevere paid no regard to her. “We should take him to the Tooth.” She

twisted on her heels and faced me

directly. Even in the dim light, her eyes

were a stunning blaze of green.

“Tooth?” I asked.

“A small island, further up the coast. A lump of jagged rock that looks like a bear’s front tooth. It’s no use to anyone but the sea birds that nest there. Perfect for a

young dragon. It can be reached by boat or a land bridge that appears when the tides are right. It’s dangerous to cross, but once we get him over he’ll be safe, I’m sure. It’s an easy roost for a dragon to defend. The villagers on the shore side will probably help us. They’re an old tribe called the Inook. They know me well. In the summer, I trade with them. They follow the path of Gaia and respect all animals and their spirits. They will welcome Gawain to the island, I know it.”

“Hmph,” went Gwilanna, who didn’t

sound so sure. “The world is changing, girl. They might just put a skewer through its heart and roast its ‘spirit’ in the salty air.” She put her stone aside and splashed a little water into the dish, stirring it with two of her grimy fingers. She looked at me. A little slyly, I thought. I was doing nothing, just standing there with my hands in my robe, when suddenly she seemed to have a change of heart. “But you’re right, the island would be appropriate.” She leaned forward and settled the dish into

the fire. “Very well. I give this journey my blessing. You may guide the boy to the Inook tribe. I will do what I can to

mislead pursuers. But you must leave

tonight, under cover of darkness.”

“We should rest,” I said.

Gwilanna slanted her gaze. “I agree. Follow the dragon’s example. Sleep now;be ready when the moon comes up.” Shenodded at the dish. Its contents were

already beginning to bubble. “This potion will relax you, but also give you strength.”

“I will not drink any of your potions,” I said. Not after what I’d seen in Taan.

“Agawin?” Guinevere looked at me,

shocked.

I started to fish for an explanation, butthankfully she went on to say, “Whateveryou’ve heard about sibyls in the past,forget. Gwilanna’s been healing people inthe valley ever since I’ve known her. Shecured my ailment, didn’t you?”

“Your ailment?” I said.

“The girl has an eye condition,” said

Gwilanna,   “which   could   lead   toblindness, if left untreated.”